Crush
by GrapePudding
Summary: When Trucy isn't performing magic or solving murders, she's in high school. And it looks like someone there's got a bit of a crush on our young magician...
1. Extraordinary

**A/N: I decided to try writing from an OC's point of view for once. I'm sorry, this is a pretty stupid fic, but I had to write this to get the idea outta my head. I actually rather enjoyed writing this, though.**

**By the way, I know in Turnabout Corner, Phoenix says something along the lines of, "If Apollo can't help you, then I guess you'll have to transfer schools. Again." which implies that Trucy transfers schools a lot. I'm just gonna pretend Phoenix and Trucy were just trying to guilt Apollo into joining their agency. :)**

**Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Ace Attorney. Unfortunately.**

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><p>Things can get awkward when you have a crush on your best friend. Especially when you've known said friend ever since you were both nine years old, which was the case for Nicholas Browne and Trucy Wright. Nick thought it didn't work that way. You were supposed to be too used to your best friend to get a crush on her. At least, that's what half of the books and television shows said. The other half said that best friends of opposite genders always end up in love. Sometimes even of the <em>same <em>gender.

Trucy prattled on about school and magic as she and Nick walked side by side down the school hallway. Nick was barely listening. Years of being friends with Trucy taught him how to automatically respond to her never-ending chatter. That was one of the things he loved about Trucy; there were never any uncomfortable silences when she was around.

As she talked, he found himself staring at her soft lips as they shaped the words that were constantly flowing out of her. No lipstick, he noted. He liked it better that way. More natural. He imagined leaning down and pressing his lips against hers...

_Ack! Damn hormones._

"What's the matter, Nick?" Trucy said brightly, shifting the weight of her school bag from her left shoulder to her right.

"Uh, nothing," he mumbled. He was glad that he wasn't the type to blush.

She narrowed her eyes. Nick could lose himself in her piercing blue eyes. They always seemed like they were looking right into your soul. Kind of creepy at times. But also kind of hot.

"Yeah, whatever," she finally said. They had reached their lockers. Their lockers were right next to each other. Naturally. Trucy opened hers, and for the first time, Nick noticed the pictures she had stuck up on the inside of her door. There were a few of her and her father. There was also a picture of Klavier Gavin. Ugh. Nick never understood why all the girls were head over heels for that guy. What kind of man wore jewelry? Then, Nick's eyes landed on a photo depicting Trucy and a guy in a red vest. They were laughing and looking suspiciously chummy.

"Who's the horny guy?" Nick asked abruptly. "Ack! No, that didn't come out right! I mean the guy with his hair styled in horns."

Trucy stifled a snicker at her friend's first question. "Oh, that's just Apollo."

"Is he your boyfriend?" he found himself asking. _Crap!_

Trucy looked aghast. "Yuck! Niiick! Apollo's old. Like, _way old_. What's wrong with you?"

Nick scratched the back of his neck. "Um, yeah, I was just joking."

Trucy smirked as she slammed her locker door closed. "You're acting really weird. Did you hit puberty or something?"

He rolled his eyes. "Shut up. And isn't it a little late for that?"

"Ooh, so you're saying you already _hit _puberty!"

"Let's not have this awkward conversation. Save it for Sex Ed."

-o-

Nick sighed as he doodled idly on the margins of his History notes. Frankly, he didn't really give a crap about American History. Rather than taking notes, he found himself watching Trucy out of the corner of his eye. She was leaning over her notes, and a lock of her dark brown hair hung loose, slightly obscuring her face. Nick longed to tuck that lock of hair behind her ear, and brush his fingers along her cheek...

He thought Trucy was beautiful. Not beautiful like girls like Ashley Taylor and Megan Glissey, who wore lipstick and mascara and revealing clothing. Yeah, sure, they were hot, but Trucy was beautiful in her own way. She looked younger than her age, but that was fine with Nick. He wasn't after the boobs of hotness like a lot of other guys (although he didn't mind looking at them...) Trucy, with her dark knowing eyes and glowing smile, was beautiful enough for him.

More than that, her quirky and bright personality that radiated from behind her face made her seem like the hottest girl in the world to Nick. Maybe it was because he had known her for such a long time, and shared so many experiences with her, but Nick couldn't imagine anyone _not_ liking Trucy.

Dropping water balloons off the school roof, accidentally setting a classmate's shoes on fire, chasing the class hamster down the halls of their elementary school... He found it amazing that you could share those kinds of childhood memories with someone and still develop a crush on them. Or maybe it was _because _of those memories that made Trucy so much more desirable to him. When you've known someone for a long time, you have to see more than just their face to fall in love with them. And that's what Nick did. And yes, he fell in love, as corny as that may sound.

Nick sighed again. He fell in love, but Trucy would never reciprocate his feelings. She was _his_ best friend, but he didn't think he was hers. He knew that Trucy had friends outside of school. Hell, it seemed like half the time, she wasn't even _in _school. She seemed close to that Apollo guy, she was apparently friends with _Klavier Gavin_, and she even seemed really close to her dad! Pathetic. Nick was losing Trucy's affections to her _dad_.

Besides, Nick was just an ordinary teenage guy. And Trucy wasn't ordinary. She was... _extraordinary_.

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><p><strong>AN: Yep, so I wrote this and then I wasn't able to even able to end it properly. Haha. Congrats for making it to the end of this thing. And yes, I just HAD to make the guy's name "Nick" xD**


	2. Meeting the Family

**A/N: The previous chapter was meant to be a oneshot, but the idea kept on bugging me last night. So now we have Chapter 2. I have to admit that I like the first chapter better, but I had fun writing this too. I apologize profusely if you hate this.**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Ace Attorney. **

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><p>Nick remembered the first time he attended one of Trucy's magic shows. It was in the eighth grade. That was the night that Nick finally realized how he felt towards her. Trucy was incredibly fearless as she performed. She was like a light that was brightening up and warming the entire Wonder Bar. When the radiance of Trucy's smile hit Nick like a punch in the gut, he knew then that he wanted Trucy in a way that you should never want a best friend. And, well, watching a girl pull a frozen chicken out of a pair of panties can really change a guy too.<p>

For the next two years, Nick kept his thoughts a secret. He watched the sunlight shine on the curves of her face, noticed the smell of her dark hair when she sat down next to him, felt the ache of her absence whenever she didn't come to school. He never acted on his feelings, and was satisfied with admiring her from afar (well, technically, from right next to her).

But when you're a guy who's almost sixteen, you can't love a girl and not do anything about it forever.

-o-

Saturday, February 13, 2027. That date jumped out at Nick from the flyers that were posted everywhere in the school. He wondered why anyone would need to stick twelve copies of the same thing on the door of the boys' washroom. Nick's sense of dread deepened as the blasted day drew nearer. He was running out of time. Tuesday... Wednesday... Thursday... Then, all of a sudden, it was Friday. The day before doomsday. _Time's up._

Nick stood beside Trucy as she rummaged around her locker. He took a steadying breath and gathered his courage. If he was ever going to do this, now was the time.

"Hey, Trucy," he said, trying to sound casual. "You know that... that dance tomorrow?"

"Uh-huh," she said, pausing to brush her hair back. "You know what I never understood? Why are they holding a Valentine's Dance the day _before _Valentine's Day? Why not just have the dance on the actual day?"

Nick gulped. He had only mustered up enough courage to last a few moments. If he let Trucy lead him down an irrelevant road now, he would never be able to get himself back on track. So he ignored her question and just let the words that had been stuck in his throat for the past few weeks tumble out of his mouth. "D'you want to go to the dance with me?" He bit his lip and quickly added, "As friends?"

Trucy immediately turned to look at her friend's face. Nick was white as a sheet. A smirk played on her lips. "What if I already got a _real_ date?"

Nick paled even further, if that was possible. It had never occurred to him that Trucy might already have been asked by another guy. "U-Um, right..." He floundered, looking around desperately for the words that could save him from looking like a complete dork.

Trucy laughed. "You should see your face, Nick! I'm only kidding, you know."

He scratched his neck and almost blushed. Despite his extreme embarrassment, he forged on. "So... you'll go with me?"

"Why not?" she said cheerfully, bouncing up and down on her toes. And just like that, the deed that Nick had been putting off for weeks - for years, actually - was done.

_No turning back now..._

-o-

It was two hours before the dance. Nick stared at himself in the mirror, comb in hand. He sighed in frustration as he attacked his dark hair. Nick was beginning to have second thoughts about his plans to reveal his feelings to Trucy.

_She won't feel the same way._

_Well, you'll never know unless you ask. She always surprises you._

_How could she ever feel the same way about me?_

_She _is _letting you take her to the dance._

_She thinks we're going as friends._

As friends _my ass. Both of you know that's not what you meant. She can see right through you. And she still said yes._

_She just doesn't want to hurt my feelings._

_Or... She could feel the same way._

_If she doesn't, and I tell her how I feel, I won't even be able to be best friends with her anymore. Things will get awkward._

_Shut the hell up already. _You_ were the one who asked her. And you know that things will _never _get awkward with someone like Trucy. _

_You're right. No time to be second-guessing myself now. I got myself into this. No backing out now._

Nick nodded determinedly at himself in the mirror. He threw the comb onto a nearby table before it started talking as well. Nervously, he adjusted his collar. He was wearing a black dress shirt, a crimson tie, and black jeans and dress shoes. He shuddered at the thought of wearing a tux.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped out the door of his apartment. It would be almost a half-hour walk to Trucy's place, and then a fifteen-minute walk to the school. He didn't mind. It was better than having his mom drive.

Twenty-six minutes later, he found himself outside the door of the Wright Anything Agency. Steeling himself, he knocked.

As though someone had been waiting behind the door for his knock, it flew open to reveal Phoenix Wright. With his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, he gave the boy a once-over before saying pleasantly, "Good evening, Nick. Please, come in."

Nick gulped. He had met Trucy's dad a few times before when he was younger, but this was different. He wondered if Phoenix was the overprotective father type. The hoodie, sweats, and blue beanie gave the impression that the man was very lax, but his gaze was so intense that Nick's hands began sweating as he stepped into the cluttered agency.

"Hey, Nick!" he heard someone call. Nick turned his nervous gaze from Phoenix to Trucy, who was standing behind her father. She was wearing a deep blue sleeveless dress that clung snugly to her body. All of her magician's attire was absent for once. Her short brown hair was sleeker and glossier than usual, but was worn as casually as ever, in that style that suited her so well. Her bright blue eyes were sparkling, as always. There was still no trace of make-up on her face.

All in all, Trucy took Nick's breath away.

"So?" said Trucy. "How do I look?"

"You... You look..." Nick rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at Phoenix nervously. "You look, uh, nice," he finished lamely. "_Really_ nice."

"Tee hee! Thanks, Nick!" She skipped past her father and grabbed her friend's arm. "Come and meet Apollo!" She dragged Nick into another room, where a young man was sitting at a desk, leaning over a pile of paperwork. Nick recognized the guy from Trucy's photo.

"Hey, Polly! This is my friend Nick!" said Trucy, waving Nick's arm around.

The guy didn't even look up. "Um, yeah, hi."

Trucy stomped over to Apollo's desk with Nick in tow. She prodded Apollo crossly. "Introduce yourself _properly_."

"Ow!" Apollo complained. He sighed as he looked up from his desk. "Hello - _Ack!_" He knocked his cup of water over his paperwork as he flew up from his chair. "Trucy... You have a _boyfriend? _And when did you put on a _dress?_"

Nick scratched the back of his neck. He was fiercely aware that Trucy was still clutching his arm.

Trucy rolled her eyes. "I said Nick's my _friend_. And I told you already that I'm going to a dance tonight, didn't I?"

Apollo crossed his arms. "Friends don't go to dances together. Especially not dressed like _that_."

Trucy sighed and ignored him. She held up Nick's arm. "Apollo, this is my _friend_ Nick. Nick, this dork is Apollo. He works for me."

Nick raised his free hand in greeting. Apollo sputtered, "Wha-? _I _work for _you?_"

Trucy smiled smugly. "This is _my_ agency, after all. Now, you two shake hands," she ordered.

Trucy finally let go of her friend's arm. The two guys shook hands. Nick didn't know what the deal was with Apollo and Trucy's relationship, but Nick and Apollo were both wrapped around the young magician's finger.

"Okay!" Trucy said with a clap of her hands. "Now that that's settled, let's go, Nick! See you later, Polly!" She danced out of Apollo's office with Nick trailing after her. Apollo returned to his sodden paperwork. Trucy herself may still be oblivious, but the young lawyer could see as clear as day that the boy was obviously head over heels for her.

Outside of Apollo's office, Phoenix was lounging on the couch. He seemed easygoing enough as Trucy gave him the details of the night. Finally, Trucy chirped, "Bye, Daddy! I'll be back by ten!"

The two teenagers made their way to the door. Nick thought he was home free until Phoenix suddenly called, "Oh, Nicholas?"

Nick turned around warily. "Yes, Mr. Wright?"

Phoenix smiled pleasantly. "If you lay even a finger on my daughter, consider yourself a dead man."

Nick instinctively jumped away from Trucy.

Phoenix laughed lightly. "...Just kidding. You kids have fun now."

Trucy rolled her eyes, exasperated, and dragged Nick out the door before either male could make a fool out of himself further.

Apollo leaned against the doorframe of his office as he and Phoenix watched Trucy and Nick leave. Phoenix turned to Apollo, smirking. "I dunno if it's mutual, but it's obvious that that kid is madly in love with our little Trucy."

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><p><strong>AN: Yes, there will be a third chapter. Whether you liked this or not. As long as I have the idea, I'm going to keep going.. No matter how much crappier it gets xD Anyways, thanks for reading to the end of this :3**


	3. Dance

**A/N: This is a pretty short chapter. I had a hard time writing this one.. And I liked the first two chapters better. God, it looks like the chapters are getting progressively worse :P Anyways, I just couldn't really word what I was trying to say in this chapter, so I got lazy and gave up, hehe. Thank you to the people who reviewed so far :D And sorry if you're disappointed with this.**

**Disclaimer: SURPRISE! In the short interval of time between writing last chapter and this one, I came to own Ace Attorney! Haha, I wish.**

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><p>Nick watched in amusement as Trucy danced shamelessly in the middle of the poorly decorated school gym. Everything she did, she did shamelessly, Nick realized. Trucy didn't ever hold back. She never feared embarrassment or humiliation. Maybe all performers were like that, thought Nick. He remembered that time he had seen a man dressed in shocking yellow, performing at a supermarket parking lot. Come to think of it, he was a magician too...<p>

The screeching of a cheap microphone broke through Nick's random musings. The DJ announced, in a voice that he clearly thought was low and sexy, that they were toning it down with a few slow songs. "So grab your date - hell, grab someone else's date if you want - and turn up the romance," he finished.

With a gulp, Nick sidled towards Trucy, pushing a couple that was violently locking lips out of his way. "This is a Valentine's Dance," he said to her with a smile, "so maybe we should share a slow dance or something."

"Sure, Nick!" Trucy was as bright and cheerful as ever. And oblivious to Nick's furiously beating heart, apparently.

Trucy laid her hands on Nick's shoulders. Swallowing his nervousness, he placed his hands lightly on her waist. Nick had no idea how to dance. Thankfully, Trucy didn't try to force him into doing some complicated tango, and they just swayed slowly from side to side, like the dozens of couples around them.

Trucy tilted her head slightly upwards. Nick was a whole head taller than her. "Wow, when'd you get so tall, Nick?"

Nick stared down at her, a faint smirk crossing his lips. "I'm not that tall. You're just really short, Trucy."

Trucy stuck her tongue out at him. Nick searched her face, and his steadfast brown eyes met her unsettling blue ones. Even while slow dancing, Trucy prattled on about the most trivial of things, but Nick didn't mind. Her chattering was like the melody of his life - he wouldn't feel complete without it. Nick himself barely said a word. He just felt his gaze melting into her azure eyes. Holding her in his arms, standing in that gym that still reeked of body odor, with paper streamers falling into their hair... Nick felt happy. It almost felt like Trucy was his.

-o-

The sky was starry and brilliant as they walked back to Trucy's place. The peaceful night silence was pierced only by their occasional laughter. Conversation flowed easily for them, as always. Why wouldn't it? Nick, like the idiot he was, had been too cowardly to admit his feelings to Trucy as they slow danced. He just enjoyed the feeling of holding her warm body and staring into her sparkling eyes...

Nick felt a surge of disappointment when they reached the door of the Wright Anything Agency. He did not want his amazing night to end yet. "Wait," he said, before Trucy could knock. "I have a present for you."

He reached into the deep pocket of his jeans, feeling rather self-conscious. Nick took out a brooch, very similar to the one Trucy wore on a daily basis. It was even in the shape of a suit in a deck of cards. Clubs, since Trucy had diamonds. He pressed the brooch into the palm of Trucy's hand. "Now all you're missing is the hearts and the spades," he joked.

Trucy stared at the brooch. She curled her fingers around it. "Wow," she breathed. "Thanks a lot, Nick. You have no idea how special this is."

"I'm glad you like it. Happy early Valentine's Day." He grinned sheepishly at her.

"Now I feel like a total jerk," she said. "I didn't get you anything."

"That's alright," said Nick. "You can make it up to me by letting me do this." Hesitating for just a split second, he leaned down and softly pressed his lips against hers for the briefest of moments.

Phoenix, who was spying through the peephole, nearly fainted.

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><p><strong>AN: Just so you know, Phoenix had been looking through the peephole for ten minutes before Trucy and Nick's arrival. Hehe. There will be a next chapter, 'cause I already know what's gonna happen next. Hopefully it'll be better than this chapter :/**


	4. The End

**A/N: It's been a while since I last updated - I'm really sorry about that. The last week's been a bit hectic. But here it is at last: the final chapter. This chapter turned out to be _VERY_ different from my original idea. But my original version of this chapter ended up having too many problems, so I had to scrap it. But I think that maybe later I'll finish it up and post it as a bonus - purely because I dislike it when something has four chapters (it just doesn't feel complete with only four, you know?)**

**Warning: This chapter's pretty sappy. But I had fun writing it, so I hope you enjoy reading it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ace Attorney. Capcom does, unfortunately. I want my AAI2, dammit!**

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><p>Trucy's face was uncharacteristically serious when Nick pulled away from their short kiss. "Nick..." she said. "I think you should know that I'm not ready for a serious relationship yet."<p>

Nick felt a plummeting sensation in the pit of his stomach. "Oh..." he mumbled. "Right. Then-"

He was cut off as Trucy stood up on her toes and gave him a light peck on the cheek. "But this isn't serious, right?" she said, smiling impishly and turning away to unlock and push open the door to her home. Inside she found Phoenix crumpled on the couch, looking faint.

The door swung closed and Nick slowly turned around to begin the walk home. His heart was thudding almost painfully. Slowly but surely, a wide, goofy grin spread across his face.

He nearly skipped all the way back to his apartment.

-o-

As promised, Trucy and Nick did not engage in a serious relationship. However, Nick was content enough just to at last have the freedom to hold her hand, brush back her hair, touch her face... Kiss her lips.

A light breeze swept through the branches of the trees as Nick and Trucy wandered around the park at Gourd Lake together. They were on an "educational field trip", although everyone knew that the teacher really just wanted to find an excuse to not teach and enjoy the arrival of the new season.

Trucy inhaled deeply and smiled elatedly at Nick. "Doesn't this weather just _taste _like spring?"

Nick laughed. "How can anything taste like spring?"

"Well, lots of things do," Trucy said defensively. "I mean, there's even a food called _spring _rolls."

"Spring rolls don't actually taste like spring, Trucy."

"Oh... Well, that doesn't make any sense!" Trucy put her hands on her hips in indignation.

Nick laughed again. His face softened slightly as his eyes traced her familiar face. As they walked, Nick spotted a single yellow dandelion sprouting by the path. He leaned over and plucked it from the grass, and held it out to Trucy with a soft smile on his lips.

Trucy took the plant and rolled it between her fingers. She looked up at her friend and smirked. "You know, dandelions are actually weeds."

"Yeah, I know. But they're bright and beautiful nevertheless... Just like you."

Trucy crossed her arms. "So... you're saying I'm a bright and beautiful _weed_."

Nick rubbed the back of his neck and grinned apologetically. _Way to go, Shakespeare, _he thought to himself. _That's what you get for trying to be poetic._

They sat down on the soft grass, enjoying the warm sunlight that blanketed the park. Nick laced his fingers through hers. It felt nice, but he swore to himself that, someday soon, he'd get her to do something more exciting and satisfying with him. She may not have been ready for a serious relationship _yet_, but perhaps one day...

Nick raised his free hand to tuck a lock of Trucy's hair behind her ear. He grinned at her. "You're not totally mine yet, Truce. But you will be, one day."

Trucy pouted. "Hey! Why do _I _have to belong to _you?_ Why can't you be mine?"

"I'm already yours." They both smiled at how corny he sounded. "I've been yours for years," he continued, leaning in closer to her. "But I promise you, someday, you'll also be completely and utterly _mine._"

He closed the distance between their faces, falling into the blue depths of her eyes.

-o-

Nick stood in a shadowy corner of the dingy little place known as the Wonder Bar. Despite its name, he couldn't really see anything wondrous about it - save for the amazing young magician up on that stage. Trucy didn't know that Nick was there. He had come to her nightly performance on a sudden whim. He had not attended one of Trucy's Wonder Bar shows since that first time back in the eighth grade.

The stage lights hit her brilliantly. As usual, the radiance of Trucy's presence shone and lit up the otherwise gloomy bar. Performing on stage, it was almost as though Trucy was glowing. Ever since the show had begun, Nick couldn't wipe the huge dopey grin off his face - because as soon as the first light had come on, Nick had noticed.

She was wearing his brooch.

Trucy's dazzling smile did not hit Nick as hard as it had during that first show, years ago, although it still affected him just as deeply. Instead of a punch in the gut, Nick felt more as though it was a single shaft of sunlight, sharing with him its warmth.

Unconsciously, he took a step forward, a step out of the darkness and closer to the light, to Trucy. From up on stage, Trucy's piercing eyes settled on Nick's steady chestnut ones for a single lingering moment. One of her hands involuntarily traveled to the brooch - _his_ brooch - that was holding her cape in place. Intentionally or not, she had placed it directly over her heart.

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><p><strong>And that's the end of that. This was always meant to be just a fun and light-hearted little story - no awesome mind-blowing plot - so I hope you weren't disappointed. Thanks for reading, and thanks a TON for those of you who reviewed andor favourited!**


	5. ALTERNATE CHAPTER 4: Despite Everything

**A/N: Sorry this took so long. I was procrastinating, haha. So, as promised, this is the _original _version for the final chapter of this short little story. I had a hell of a lot of trouble cleaning this thing up, despite its short length. This thing has a lot of problems, which is why I changed the idea for the final chapter completely, but I'll admit I still have a bit of a soft spot for this version. I hope you like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Ace Attorney.**

**This picks up from where Chapter 3 left off...**

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><p>Trucy stared up at Nick, shock clearly etched on her face. "I... I gotta go," she muttered hastily, fumbling with the doorknob. She hurried inside and disappeared from view as the door slammed shut in Nick's face, leaving him stung and chagrined. On the other side, Trucy leaned wearily against the doorpost. The edges of the brooch that Nick had given her cut painfully into her hand as she automatically tightened her grip on the symbolic gift.<p>

Nick began walking slowly back to his apartment. The part of him that was scared to tell Trucy his feelings whispered the four harsh little words in his mind.

_I told you so._

-o-

On Monday morning, Trucy arrived in front of her locker to find that Nick was already there, staring at the ceiling, his school bag slung sloppily over his shoulder as always. Hesitantly, Trucy said, "Nick... About Saturday night..."

Nick gazed unwaveringly at Trucy's hat, unwilling, for once, to look into her eyes. "Yeah," he said heavily. "I get it. Look, let's not talk about it, alright?"

Trucy nodded. A chill swept over Nick's chest.

Over the next week, things settled back into routine. Trucy and Nick acted as if Saturday night had never happened. The subtle changes in their relationship, however, pierced Nick's heart like icicles. Such as how they were careful to keep at least a few inches of space between them, how quickly they looked away whenever their eyes locked, how there were times when the air between them hung heavy with unsaid words...

When Nick shut his eyelids, all he could see were Trucy's striking blue eyes. Eyes that he were now afraid to look at.

Every night, as he lay in his small bed, he thought of that evening, that dance, that kiss. And he felt the bitter taste of regret sitting in his mouth, making his tongue feel like sandpaper no matter how much water he gulped down.

He wondered if it was possible for someone to die of unrequited love.

-o-

The familiar music of the Steel Samurai theme song began blaring in Nick's dark bedroom. Groaning, Nick rolled over on his bed and fumbled around his bedside table for his cell phone, the source of the accursed noise. Who the hell would be calling at this time of night?

"Hello?" he mumbled groggily as he placed the phone next to his ear.

An achingly familiar voice answered him. _"N-Nick?"_

"Trucy?" Nick said, startled.

_"Yeah, it's me," _she responded. She didn't say any more. Neither did Nick. The faint buzzing of the telephone filled their ears.

"...What's up?" Nick finally asked. "It's," he glanced at his digital alarm clock, "one in the morning. Not exactly the best time to talk..."

_"I know,"_ said Trucy._ "But... Daddy's out of town for the night. And... I'm scared."_

"Of what?" Nick asked, stifling a yawn.

_"Of being all alone."_

The next thing Nick was aware of, he was fully clothed and inside the Wright Anything Agency, the night sky outside pitch-black. _How the hell did I get myself into this mess?_ This was the only thought running through his mind. Just a few weeks ago, he had suffered the sting of rejection from his best friend. And now, here Trucy was, in his arms...

..._sleeping with him._

Only in the most literal sense, unfortunately. They were squished on Trucy's small couch, with her snoring away and Nick wide awake and painfully aware of Trucy's small warm body curled up against his chest.

_You're an idiot, _Nick told himself. _Look at where your pathetic little crush got you, Nicholas. You're a total sucker for her. You mean little more than nothing to her, but you'd do anything she asks of you without a second thought._

"Why did you call me?" Nick remembered asking earlier, before Trucy was asleep. "Why didn't you call Apollo?"

"I... I did," she had admitted, looking away. "But he wasn't answering his phone."

_In other words, _Nick had realized bitterly, _I'm her last resort._

Nick's eyes traced the soft planes of Trucy's sleeping face. He was her last resort. And yet, still, here he was. He had come. He had stayed. Despite knowing that Trucy wasn't in any real danger. Despite knowing that she had only called him because everyone else was busy. Despite knowing that Trucy would never hold it against him if he chose not to go.

Despite knowing that Trucy didn't like him in the way that he so desperately wanted her to.

Despite all that, Nick was still here. And despite all the bitter thoughts snaking into Nick's mind, he dismissed each of them as they came. Nick didn't understand Trucy's fears. He doubted someone like him ever would. But he knew that he wouldn't leave Trucy, wouldn't _not _help her when she sounded so lonely and scared. No matter how she felt about him, she was still his best friend.

And he would still act as _her _best friend, whether she thought of him as such or not.

With Trucy - warm and unguarded and asleep as she was - in his arms, he couldn't help but feel trusted by her. And it felt good, being trusted. Nick was unable to sleep in the position he was in, but throughout the remainder of the long night he was content with concentrating on Trucy's warmth and her light breathing, and the mental image of Phoenix's face if he could see what his daughter was doing at that moment.

Sunlight penetrated the office, indicating the arrival of the early morning. Trucy slowly opened her eyelids, and the first thing she saw was a pair of chestnut brown eyes. Nick's eyes. Nick did not avert his gaze from hers. He knew why he had been scared to look into Trucy's bright blue eyes for the past few weeks. He was afraid he would find pity in them.

But he wasn't afraid anymore.

Trucy's lips curved into a small smile before she sat up, pulling away from her friend. Nick let go of her, but he was surprisingly not reluctant to do so. He decided to trust in Trucy, trust that although that morning he was letting her go, someday she would find her own way back into his waiting arms. In the meantime, he would be her best friend, and of course she would be his.

And maybe, for now, that was enough.

* * *

><p><strong>So now you probably have a lot of questions (e.g. why Trucy's scared, why Phoenix would leave Trucy home alone, why this chapter is so sappy and cheesy, etc.) but I didn't want to shift the focus of this chapter to the tiny details, okay? And wow, this chapter definitely didn't match the mood of the other chapters..<strong>

**Anyways, I'm surprised I got five whole chapters (albeit extremely short ones) out of this random little thing. For any of you still reading, I'd like to say thank you! I hope you enjoyed reading this short little story as much as I did writing it. It's not even ten thousand words haha. But anyways, drop a review and tell me what you think (please?) And tell me, which ending did you like better?**

**THANKS FOR READING! :)**


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